


Steps

by theaveragebear



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Apparently all my fics end in make outs, College, Idiots in Love, M/M, Pining, alcohol use, just FYI
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-23 09:51:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10717041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaveragebear/pseuds/theaveragebear
Summary: Rhett is in denial.





	Steps

It started as it always did. A sharp jab to the elbow or ribs, each trying to elicit a higher pitched squeal from the other. It was giggles, and wrestling, and vying for the upper hand. Until it wasn’t.

Where before there was frenetic energy, now it was still and silent.

There was a soft switch of a thumb across a bicep. A slow slip forward, the space between them contracting.

A moment of eye contact (held a second too long), a deep inhale, a tongue slipping out to graze a bottom lip.

Whose bicep? Whose thumb? Whose tongue? In retrospect, neither could say. But the air in the room had changed and it caused them both to jump back, clear their throats, and immediately start to fidget with their clothes and hair. In the passing silence, they could hear the whirr of the mini-fridge and the ticking of the old analog clock on the wall, hung by someone’s mother.

Rhett broke the silence (of course he did), but the first words out of his mouth didn’t come out as expected.

“So...I win? Right?”

He meant to sound confident and masculine, but his voice cracked, and he winced at how shaky it seemed.

This was not going well.

Link stood and gave him a quizzical look, both bashful and incredulous. He avoided direct eye contact by staring at the space between Rhett’s brows; he had heard somewhere that this was helpful in awkward situations.

Link held still for a moment, brows furrowed and eyes bright. His mouth opened and closed, as if he was planning to say something, but lost the thought before it could form on his lips. Then he turned, grabbed his keys, and walked out of their room, down the hall, and out the front door of their dorm.

As the cold air outside hit his hot skin, rational thought began to creep back in. Thought 1 _: I probably should have put on a jacket._ Thought 2: _What the fuck?_

He had no real direction in mind. He wandered across campus, following the concrete path wherever it led. Around him, people hurried to classes, bundled under winter coats and hunched by backpacks. He found himself in the library, mostly because it was warm, and because he had forgotten his wallet, so eating in the dining hall was out. He realized he probably looked a bit strange, sitting at a table with no books or schoolwork, staring off into the distance with that same quizzical look, arms folded tightly across his chest. But, right now, in this moment, he didn't really care what anyone thought. All he knew was that he couldn't go back to that room yet, not until he figured out what, precisely, had just happened.

Rhett was in a similar, though slightly different, state. He was sitting on the bottom bunk with his long legs outstretched on the floor. He stared at his hands for a bit, and replayed the scene over in his head a few times. He had been fully committed to ignoring whatever it was had happened, playing it off as a joke, going back about their business of getting ready for the day, but then Link got all jumpy and left without speaking, and now it seemed like it was gonna be a _thing_. Like a thing they'd have to discuss or at least acknowledge. He really didn't want to do that. Mostly because he knew Link would have the upper hand. Because Link seemed genuinely surprised and caught off guard. Rhett, on the other hand, was not surprised. Mostly he was desperate, because they had had a moment, a real moment where it seemed like maybe this thing he felt wasn’t solely his thing, maybe it was shared. And that moment, which had caused his heart to race and his skin to flush, had caused Link to cut and run. He had fled as though from the scene of a crime, eyes wild and hands shaking. He had looked so scared. Rhett swallowed thickly, sat up, and resolved to fix this. He could walk this line and show Link how to walk it, too. He could be his guide, reassure his fears, like he always has. This is just like wading in a cold, wide river, same as they had done as kids. He could hold Link’s hand and navigate the way.

_Step 1: Repeat after me, ‘these feelings aren't real, they're just in your head’._

He could do this. He would do it. He would do it for self-preservation, and for the sake of his friendship. He pulled on his jacket and zipped himself in, steeling himself against the cold outside as well as his own thoughts.

He found Link in the library. It wasn't hard to guess where he had gone, his wallet was still on the counter and his jacket was hanging by the door. There weren't many places he could've ended up. And he was asleep (of course he was). His arms splayed out on the table, head resting in the crook of an elbow, mouth open. Rhett smiled to himself, exhaled, and shook him gently on the shoulder. Link startled himself awake, and looked up hazily at Rhett's face.

_Step 2: Look away, never get caught staring._

“Hey, man…”

Rhett spoke to the air around him, eyes lingering first on the cart of books over Link’s shoulder, then on the table, then the ceiling, settling finally on the object in his hands. _Right, that was why he was here._

“I thought you might be cold.”

With that he dropped Link’s jacket onto the table and pulled out the seat across from him.

Link grabbed for the jacket, blue eyes burning Rhett’s face.

_Step 3: Be funny. Everything is easier if everything is a joke._

“You're an idiot.” _Shoot. That sounded mean_. “And I don’t think either of us are entering the UFC any time soon.”

Rhett winced at his own words, braced for rejection, but Link laughed, not his high pitched frantic giggle that Rhett loves so much ( _crap...step 1: repeat after me…_ ) but a small breathy sigh that said ‘I know what you're doing and I'll play along.’ Because Link always knows what Rhett is doing and always plays along.

_Step 4: When in doubt, ignore, ignore, ignore._

“So...food? I’m starving...and it’s Taco Tuesday. If we don’t get there early, all that will be left is veggies and you know how I feel about that. I mean, c’mon, they know it’s the most popular night, why wouldn’t they make extra meat? How can they run out every week? I’d consider boycotting if that carne asada wasn’t so dang good.”

Rhett stopped ranting and caught Link studying his face. ( _Step 2, Step 2, Step 2…_ ) He was hoping that he was being obvious enough; that his tactic was clear. He settled into Link’s gaze for a brief moment, nodding slightly as if to say _follow me, we can do this, everything is fine_. Link smiled, one corner of his mouth turning up, eyes softening. Rhett breathed a long sigh, stood and tossed Link his wallet.

***

And so it was fine. They went back to normal. Brothers, friends. If either of them gave more thought to whatever it was had happened, neither showed it. Avoidance was easy. Especially with Rhett guiding them through it. The next day he was back to rambling about some new girl he had his eye on. Did she have bright blue eyes that stopped him cold? He hadn’t noticed. Did chasing her around campus all day mean there was less time to hang in their room? Sure, but that was hardly the point. The point was to stay as busy as possible.

Link followed suit. He allowed himself to become consumed with studying for finals. This semester, he told everyone, was the one where he brought home a 4.0. With a perfect GPA as his goal, he spent more and more late nights at the library, often coming home well after Rhett was already asleep. Did his hand ever linger before turning off the light? In the dark, did his eyes ever wander to his friend sleeping on the bottom bunk? Maybe. But he never allowed it for more than a moment, and as he shut off the light, he also shut down his meandering thoughts.

This was how the next few months went. Rhett chasing girls, Link chasing grades. When they were together, they made sure that there was no accidental touching, or lingering glances, or wrestling. Wrestling was definitely not allowed. They sat on opposite ends of the couch when playing video games. Whenever Gregg or Mike came over, they’d talk them into staying over.

 _Step 5: Minimize alone time_.

Rhett started seeing one girl exclusively, Katy, and she became a fixture in their room. She was quiet, but had an easy laugh, and Link liked her well enough. She was a good buffer between them. With her there, Rhett’s mind could quiet a bit. With her head on his shoulder, he could focus, see things clearly. _This is good, this is right_.

They were all in the room one Friday, Link hunched over his desk cramming for a test. Rhett and his girl watching a movie on the couch. Her legs stretched out to the side, his arm around her, fingertips brushing her shoulder.

“C’mon...Link! It’s Friday, man. Your test is on Monday. Come hang out with us. This movie is supposed to be awesome.”

Link looked over, eyes flicking between the TV and his books. He had told himself he would study for two hours tonight, and he didn’t like deviating from his plans. But, if he was honest, he had been staring at the same sentence for what felt like an hour, and his neck was stiff from the position he was sitting in.

“Also...you’re doing that thing where you tap your pencil every time you read a word. It’s seriously annoying.”

Link sighed and laughed to himself.

“Ok, ok. I’ll stop. You don’t have to be a dick.”

He stood and stretched and took his place on the other end of the couch. The movie, it turned out, wasn’t awesome and as it played, the long week caught up with them and they were all asleep within the first 25 minutes. Rhett woke as the credits were playing, the flickering screen casting warm light across the room. The exit music was soft and melancholy. As he lifted his head, he leaned into Katy’s soft hair and inhaled deeply. She smelled safe, like apple scented soap and peppermint. Over her head, he saw that Link was curled up in a tight ball, his head resting on the back cushion. Without moving Katy, Rhett slowly reached his long arm out to gently brush Link’s hair back from his forehead. He hadn’t meant to, it was as if his hand moved of its own volition, acting without his consent. And, of course, Link’s eyes fluttered open.

 _Shit. What are the steps again_?

 _These feelings aren’t real_. But they feel real.

 _Look away_. He tried. But Link’s blue eyes held fast onto his and he was caught, frozen, his fingers lingering in Link’s hair.

 _Be funny_. Say something funny, man! But there was nothing funny to say. As he opened his mouth to try and spit out words, Link lifted his head and moved his hand so it gripped Rhett’s wrist. His thumb brushed the tendons on the underside of his arm. Suddenly he was the brave one.

 _Ignore, ignore, ignore_. Rhett’s instinct kicked in. Fight or flight. And all Rhett knew how to do was run. So he pulled his hand away and reached for the remote. His eyes settled back on the TV and he shifted to force Katy awake. _Minimize_ _alone_ _time_. As she stretched awake and curled into him, Rhett could still feel where Link’s cold fingers had encircled his wrist. _Why were his hands always so dang cold_?

“Uh, babe...should I walk you home? It’s kind of late.” Rhett closed his eyes and kissed Katy’s temple. _This is good. This is right_.

“Oh, can’t I just stay here? I’m so sleepy.”

“Um…”

“You should probably go,” Link jumped in, “I’ve got to get up really early and I’m sure you want to sleep in tomorrow morning.”

“It’s ok, I can sleep through it.” The boys exchanged a glance.

“I’m just looking out for you...really it’s in your best interest that you go home. I snore and I’m grumpy in the morning.”

“Ok…” She rolled her eyes and stood, as she gathered her things, she leaned down to place a kiss on Rhett’s cheek. “But you don’t have to walk me. I’m two floors down. I think I can make it on my own.” Before Rhett could protest, she was out the door.

It seemed as if she took all the breathable air with her as she left. It was too quiet again, the music from the DVD menu playing its delicate, ceaseless melody.

“Rhett…”

 _Ignore, ignore, ignore_.

“Rhett...we’re gonna have to..”

“Don’t. Please...not yet. Let’s just go to sleep.”

They both crawled into their beds. As he heard him softly snoring, Rhett cursed Link’s ability to fall asleep immediately, no matter the circumstances.

***

Avoidance became harder. They didn’t talk about anything, and Rhett could feel Link’s eyes on him all the time. He stuck to his plan: _deny, avoid, ignore, laugh it off_. He committed himself to Katy, staying in her room more often. He’d press her into the mattress, run his hands over her smooth skin, under her shirt. _This is who you want. This_ _is right. This is good_. He’d stare into her pretty green eyes and compel himself into feeling something, anything. It was mind over matter...he could make himself the person he knew he should be by sheer force of will. It almost worked. But every time she left his side, his mind would stray back to the feeling of icy fingers gripping his wrist. As he sank into his pillow at the end of every day, all he could see were clear blue eyes, crinkling in laugher. It was making him crazy.

While Rhett set his focus on maintaining distance, Link seemed determined to get closer. Rhett knew he wanted answers, wanted everything out in the open, but Rhett was accustomed to hiding and wouldn’t give him the opportunity to catch him alone.

Until, of course, Link caught him alone. Rhett came home from class one afternoon and was relieved to find the room empty; it had been some time since he had been by himself. He felt as if he had been in constant motion for weeks. Avoidance was exhausting, the constant stream of friends in and out of their room, the late nights at Katy’s, the routine of being up and out the door before Link was starting to wear on him. He had been craving a moment of isolation. He had just settled onto his bunk with a book when he heard keys in the lock. He ran through Link’s schedule in his mind... _he should be in Statistics until 5, why is he back so early_?

Link locked the door and threw his book bag on the couch. “Hey...so crazy...my statistics professor cancelled class for the next week, I guess there was some kind of family emergency and she had to leave the state.”

“Oh, wow. I hope everything is ok...they couldn’t get the TA to fill in?”

“Nah, I guess that it was really short notice. Like, it happened this morning. They told us to go home and study for the final.”

“Oh.” Rhett sat up from his bunk and tried to think of a reason to leave, or someone he could call to come over, but Link was too quick.

“So, it’s just us, huh? You wanna do something? I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages, man.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess we’ve both been pretty busy…”

“I guess so. Feel like getting your ass kicked at Mario Kart?”

Rhett looked up at Link’s smiling face. In all his efforts to protect himself from whatever it was he was feeling, he had given up their friendship. He missed their comfortable closeness in a way he couldn’t describe. And here was Link, ever the fearless one, offering it all back to him.  
  
“Ha! You talk a big game, Neal, but you and I both know that will never happen.”

“Oh, yeah? Prove it, McLaughlin.”

“I’ll prove it. Get ready.”

“I was born ready, baby.”

Three hours later Rhett was surprised by how easy it was to fall back into their familiar patterns. Rhett won nearly every game, and each time Link feigned disappointment. They ordered a pizza and Rhett rolled his eyes as Link picked off the numerous toppings he didn’t like. They argued about inconsequential details of the game as they played; with a sly smile, Link accused Rhett of cheating more than once. Rhett vigorously denied the claims.

“Why would I cheat?”

“I don’t know...because you can’t deal with losing?”

“That’s ridiculous...it’s not my fault you suck at this game and have to resort to false accusations to feel better about yourself.”

“Oh, is that what I’m doing?”

“I just call it like I see it, man.”

Rhett’s car flew through the finish line again, and he jumped up, throwing his controller onto the couch.

“Ha! Yeah, that’s how it’s done, son! You can’t possibly say I was cheating that time. That was a solid, fair and square win.” In his enthusiasm, he reached over and grabbed Link into a headlock. Link fought against him, wrapping his arm around Rhett’s waist and pushing him back with his shoulder.

“Let me go, man!” They struggled against each other for a moment, all thought of the past few months retreating as they fought. Link’s hands found Rhett’s sides, exploiting the weakness he knew he’d find there. Rhett began convulsing and giggling, succumbing to his ticklishness. With Rhett weakened Link pushed him back and released himself from the headlock, his hair wild from the hold and his face and neck flushed. The pair locked eyes, grins spread wide across their faces, Rhett still coming down from his laughing fit. Link loved him like this, cocky and self-assured and goofy. He stepped into Rhett’s space, smiling up at him. His hand found it’s way to Rhett’s face, shocking both of them with the boldness of the gesture. Rhett’s mind raced... _this isn’t real...run...look away...run, run, run_! But he didn’t feel like running anymore. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, all resolve leaving him.

Just as Link opened his mouth to speak, Rhett’s name on his breath, there was a gentle knock on the door. Rhett’s eyes opened and after a beat Link dropped his hand and broke away to open the door.

“Hey Link...is Rhett here?” Katy’s soft voice permeated the quiet room as Link pulled the door open further.

Rhett forced himself to smile as his eyes met Katy’s, but his face fell when he saw the look on hers.

“Hi...could we go for a walk or something?”

“Yeah...yeah, of course. Everything ok?”

Katy glanced at Link who had moved to the couch, pretending to be engrossed in a magazine.

“Yeah, I just thought we could talk…”

“Sure…” Rhett pulled his jacket off the rack by the door and turned to look back at Link. “I’ll see ya later, man.”

Link’s eyes remained concentrated on the glossy pages in his hands. “See ya.”

***

Cool spring air brushed the hair back from Katy’s face as they walked across the darkened campus. Rhett knew that there were trees in bloom above them, their sweet fragrance had washed over them the moment they stepped outside. They held hands as they walked in silence and Rhett could feel what she was going to say before she said it.

They stopped at a bench and Katy pulled them to sit. She worried the hem of her sleeve in her fingers as she began to speak.

“I’m not really sure what to say,” she turned her head and spoke out to the dark around them, “but, I think you know that we can’t keep doing this.”

“I don’t know--”

She cut him off, “I was hoping you would notice and get upset. That you’d fight for us or something. Because that would mean you felt something for me. But you didn’t...and I was pretty obvious. Everyone on your floor knows. Well, everyone except you, I guess.”

“What--” Rhett thought back to the last few weeks to try and decipher what she might be referring to. “I don’t--”

“You don’t know what I’m talking about? Of course you don’t. That’s exactly the problem. I’ve been sleeping with Mike.” Her tone was accusatory, as if she had caught him in his secret, not the other was around.

“Excuse me? You’ve been...but, we haven’t even…”

“Yeah. We haven’t. That’s not the point, though...It’s not that I like him more, y’know? It’s that he sees me when he looks at me. When you look at me, I dunno. It’s like you’re looking through me, or past me. You come over, we fool around, you listen when I talk, you do all the things that a boyfriend should do, but you’re not there with me. That sounds silly...but it’s how I feel. I’m sorry…”

Rhett knew he should be mad. His girlfriend had been sleeping with his friend behind his back. He knew that the appropriate response was to be angry; start yelling, storm off, throw something, punch someone. But he couldn’t give her that. He was relieved.

***

The door closed loudly behind Katy and Rhett. Link threw the magazine down on the table and buried his face in his hands. He wanted to stay and wait for Rhett to come back, to finish what they had started, but he felt too antsy to sit in the quiet room alone. He figured they would be a while, so he left a short note saying he’d be back soon and headed to Gregg’s.

Link pushed his way into Gregg’s room as soon as he opened the door.

“Link? What’s up? Everything ok?”

“You got any alcohol?” Link’s body was still buzzing from whatever had almost happened with Rhett. He wanted something to bring him down, even his keel.

“Seriously? You know it’s a school night, right?” Gregg raised an eyebrow in Link’s direction, but pulled out a bottle of whisky from the back of a shelf. He poured two shots into plastic cups. “What are we drinking to?”

“Friendship?”

“Is that a question or a statement?” Gregg held the cup out of Link’s reach as he looked him over.

“Why you gotta be a jerk? Just give me the drink.”

Gregg laughed and handed Link the shot. They raised their cups, tapped out a cheers, and downed the cheap liquor.

“Gah...I hate that shit.” Link shook his head as the whisky wormed its way down his esophagus and settled in his belly. “Give me another.”

“What is up with you tonight? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drink two shots in one night before, now you want two in a row? You havin’ girl problems?”

“Something like that. Just pour another, man. What’s with the inquisition?”

“No inquisition...I’m just curious. But, whatever...if you don’t want to tell me that’s cool.” He paused as he lifted the bottle and examined Link’s demeanor. He was jittery, to say the least; fingers tapping restlessly at his sides, his shoulders pulled up near his ears. “Where’s Rhett? Why don’t you talk whatever’s bugging you out with him?”

“Can you just give me the drink? And stop with the questions?”

“Ok..ok...I get it. You don’t want to talk. Here ya go.” He handed the cup over and watched as Link tipped it into his mouth. He was overeager and some dribbled down his chin, but the second went down easier than the first. Link could feel his nerves starting to quiet as the alcohol worked through him.

He held out his cup and looked Gregg in the eye.

“Another.”

 

***

The room was dark when Rhett returned. He read Link’s note and glanced at the clock. It had been two hours since he had left with Katy. After they talked he wandered around alone, trying to make sense of everything that had happened.

He felt as if he had been tethered to his life by a thin rope, which pulled him along in its wake. As long as the rope was intact, he knew where he was headed, the course had been plotted for him. But Link wielded a sharp knife, and had been sawing through the rope for as long as he could remember. The small act of his hand reaching to touch Rhett’s face had been the final push, and the rope was cut. Rhett was lost, adrift, unsure of where to go, what to do. He knew what he wanted, but had never allowed himself to believe it was something he could have.

He laid down on his bed, exhausted, and allowed his eyes to flutter closed.

***

“Hey!”

Rhett was startled awake by Link shoving his shoulder.

“Hey!”

“I heard you the first time.”

Link hit the light switch and Rhett squinted at the brightness. He sat up slowly and watched as Link tried, and failed, to sit on the chair at the desk on the opposite side of the room. He missed the chair and landed on the ground hard.

“Are you drunk?”

“Ow. Maybe a bit.”

“Hmm. How’d that happen?”

“Gregg. Well, no, me...I...and Gregg.” Link laid back onto the carpeted floor and twisted his head to glare at Rhett. “You were gone forever.”

“Not really, but, whatever. What you been drinkin’? You bring me any?”

“Whisky. And no. I got something to say. To you.”

“Link...listen--”

“No! I’m not listening. I’m talking. You listen.” Link tested sitting up on his elbows to stare at Rhett, but quickly decided it was a bad idea and went back to lying flat. He closed his eyes as a wave of nausea overtook him. “Ugh...can you come here?”

Rhett watched as Link squirmed on the floor, forearms shielding his face from his own drunkenness. He slid off the bed and laid down next to his oldest friend, the boy he’d grown up with, and only one thought ran through his head. _I want to kiss you_. But he couldn’t do that, not yet anyway. So he curled onto his side and rested his head on Link’s shoulder. Link, lacking inhibitions, opened his arm and pulled Rhett in close, leaving Rhett no choice but to settle his head on Link’s chest. Tentatively, he reached his top arm across Link’s torso and laid his palm flat across Link’s heart.

“I don’t get it.” Link’s voice came out quiet this time and his breathing felt shallow under Rhett’s ear.

“What’s that?”

“I don’t get why...I mean...what...or how.”

Rhett chuckled softly at Link’s inability to form a coherent sentence. Somehow it seemed fitting that there were no words for their situation. Rhett didn’t know if he could verbalize it any better himself at this moment.

“I know what you mean, buddy.”

“You do? That’s amazing. I don’t even know what I mean.”

“Can I talk now?”

  
“I guess so. I’m not doing such a great job of it.”

Rhett pushed himself up and maneuvered himself above Link, bracing himself with his hands. He really wished Link had brought him a drink. He needed all the courage he could get.

“I want to kiss you.”

Rhett had meant to say something more meaningful or profound. He had meant for his words to be a declaration of his suppressed desire, of everything he had been holding back for so many years. But proximity to Link caused his brain to short and that’s what came out. Link’s eyes popped open and caught Rhett’s.

“All the time.”

“I want to kiss you, too.” Link’s confession came out quiet, breathy, hesitant.

“But, not right now.”

“Not right now?”

“No.”

“Because I got too drunk?”

“Because you got too drunk.”

“Why’d I do that? That was so stupid of me.”

Rhett chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to Link’s forehead, smiling at the relief he felt. He rolled back over onto the floor and twisted his fingers together with Link’s.

“Your hands are so sweaty.”

“You are such a jerk.”

Link cackled, squirming on the carpet, losing his breath. When he finally calmed down, he stood, pulling Rhett up with him.

“You feelin’ more steady there, drunky?”

“Not at all. You?”

“I’m not drunk...and....no.”

“Right. So...tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

They found their way to Rhett’s bunk and curled into each other on top of the blankets. Link was the first to fall asleep, his breathing leveling out in only a minute or two. Rhett followed shortly, holding Link tightly, not wanting to let go.

***

Rhett wakes up sweaty. The sun hits his face hard and he is overwhelmed by Link’s various body parts flung across him. Link is spread out on the bed like a starfish, his right arm heavy across Rhett’s throat, his leg draped across Rhett’s middle. Rhett finds himself squished, practically wedged between the wall and the mattress.

He shoves Link off, and climbs over him to make his way to the bathroom. While brushing his teeth, he replays the previous night in his head. He hopes that their mutual confession isn't wiped from Link’s memory by the alcohol. He also hopes that Link isn't too hungover because he intends to make good on the promise he made. He's  a man of his word.

When he opens the door, he finds Link awake. Rhett leans against the door frame and takes him in. He can tell by the wide smile on Link’s face that he remembers their conversation and it doesn't look like he is feeling any regret.

“Mornin’. How ya feeling?”

Link looks up at Rhett from the pillow, his dark hair splayed in sharp contrast with the white pillowcase. Rhett scans the sight in front of him. He’s never seen anything better, he thinks, than Link in his bed first thing in the morning.

“Great.” Rhett could die for that smile.

“That’s good.” Rhett takes a few careful steps toward the bed, kneeling on the edge, bowing low to fit under the bunk. He crawls up so that he’s above Link, mimicking their position on the floor last night.

“I should probably brush my--”

“Nuh uh.” Rhett holds him in place with his eyes.

“But I might have really bad brea--”

“I don’t care.”

With that Rhett is leaning down, and then they’re kissing. At first it’s odd, touching lips, then hands and bodies. It’s odd because each touch carries the weight of their friendship and the length of the years they had spent pushing each other away. First it’s odd, then it’s extraordinary. It’s gripping and pulling at any skin they can find. Nails dragging across the expanse of a back; a tongue tracing a long path from collar bone to ear, leaving a cool wet trail in its wake.

It’s eyes closed and furious, their desire. The air in the room expands and recedes as palms move up abdomens, cresting at shoulders, squeezing, pulling, pinning each other under their weight. Rhett can feel his heart pulsing through every vein (for a second he seriously wonders if it can explode) and as his teeth catch an earlobe, Link gasps and for a brief moment everything stills.

Their eyes fly open as Rhett pulls up, framing Link’s face with his hands. They search each other’s faces, finding them dark, yet full of hope and expectation. Rhett reaches up and smooths down the hair that had become wild in their frenzy.

“Hey…”

“Hi…”

The softly spoken words that are barely even a syllable, whispered simultaneously, are an agreement that this can, and should, happen. That they can follow this path wherever it leads, that at the end of it the earth will not swallow them whole. There’s a shy smile, a raise of an eyebrow and everything is clear and free.

After that, no words are needed.

**Author's Note:**

> This took me embarrassingly long to finish. It's the first Rhinky thing I started writing, really the first thing I had written in over 10 years. I thought I should finally post it, especially after that college wrestling talk today. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcome.
> 
> If you're a tumblrer, you can find me there under the same username.


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